Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-07-16
THE OPERA C0MIQUE.


Washington Critic.
THE OPERA C0MIQUE.
MANY OF THE AUDIENCE ASPHYx-
lated BY MoNoxiDE OF CARBON.
A Poisonous Gas as Sure and AS Rapid
as Prussic Acid--A Cowardiy Crowd.
Gen. Boulanger's stratagem-A Hor-
ribIe Spectacle.
never saw anything more awful or in its
surrounding circumstances more Partisan
than the burning of the Theatre Comique
Nearly every one lost head, and nearly every
one got in the way, until the fire brigade ar
rived ON the scene of the disaster
The architectural arrangements of every
French theatre, save the new opera house, ara
so stupid that a crowd trying to get away
from fire must needs be as cool as IL it were
American TO keep orderly. All the box
doors on the passage open outwardly. They
are therefore blocked up If there is dense
throng and they help to block and cause con-
fusion if they can be forced open from
within. This accounts for the number OF
persons found dead in the boxes. They could
not get out once the passages got choked up,
and then were asphyxiated by monoxide OF
carbon. This gas turned the theatre into
lethal chamber resembling the one at the
pound where masterless dogs are given their
auietus. This poison is sure and rapid as
prussic acid Ii was given out at the Opera
Comique by the burning scenery. But since
it was impossible for the persons who had not
made their way into the corridors before the
stampede began to effect their escape 1t was
well for them that the atmosphere was inn
pregnated with this poison. Indeed, under
the terrible circumstances, one may regard it
as a merciful nepenthe.
Noxious gases not only extinguish human
life, but put out the oil in few lamps which,
in virtue of police regulations, were placed
in the passages. So when the gas was turned
off darkness reigned, and the mob into which
the excited and middle headed crowd degen-
Grated knew not wither they were rushing
A score or so rushed down stair into pas
sage, the door of which was permanently
locked and which was too strong TO be knocked
in. They were overtaken by the monoxide OF
carbon, and must have been killed straight
way en- masse. The servants of the theatre
in the upper rooms had no chance unless what
they copld hope for by getting out on roof
which, in less than quarter of an hour, was
burned through The service stairs were
about the width of q stairs in a river steamer,
and nearly as steep, but of corkscrew form,
which rendered descent for number of per-
sons out of the question, there being no foot
hold save on the wide ends Of the steps,
1t saw some men of heroic impulse in the
crowd and was glad to see a strong and
N,f, ul,f,x
visibly in the jaws of fiery death. There
were men who rendered ellicacious assistance,
and at the repeated risk of their own lives, to
persons who were on balconies, at windows
and on the roof when the whole building was
like blast furnace But it was sickening to
notice the low, vulgar form curiosity took,
the absence OF all reproach of conscience or
the wish to get out of the way when the null
titude was palpably an obstruction to the fire
brigade Demos was being treated to grand
tragedy in one act, one tableau and one night,
and wanted to see out the somber and sinister
and awfully impressive spectacle What was
vler than anything else was the cowardly
rush Off the instant the rumors ran that the
valid adults were going to be requsitioned to
hand buckets and otherwise aid the firemen.
Gen. Boulanger, who was in the theatre
when the fire broke out, and remained in the
square outside to give help If he saw his why,
took upon hinself-until their own chiefs
came--the command of the police. 1t was,
ewing TO the chobed up state of the streets,
impossible for the fire brigades to approach
Ghe confiagration. Gen. Boulanger was equal
70 the emergency. lie told the police TO
make believe there was TO be a universal
.equisition of spectators for water drawing
purposes Then the streets were fairly well
cleared as if by magic in less than five min
ates. Gen. Boulanger also gave the word for
I'll the court yard doors TO be thrown open.
Policemen passed on his order and called ON
porters to "open in the name of the law"
The old habit of obeying authority came in
here, and the benedcent but wholly illegal
stlatageln Of the general had full success.
Americans will hear with pity that the
pumps could not be brought TO the rescue
within forty-fiye minutes after they were
summoned. | never beheld anything more
hideOus than their position IA ia Rue de Maui
yaux, n short and narrow street debouching
on the Place dc POpera Comique. 1t was as
full of sightseeing human beings as a herring
barrel of fishes. There was no means Of go
ing back or forward until Gen. Boulanger's
benedcent order went round for court yard
doors 70 be opened and hands to be requi-
sitioned. An order to clear of would not
have been obeyed Demos would have re-
sented being deprived Of the grandiose and
gratis spectacle. But as he could not resent
being called upon to make himself useful in
an humble way--and in the rain--he got out
Of the way in all the haste he could make.
Then the horses drawing tho pumps were
goaded on with bayoncts. There was no
other way to make them advance
The fire was not the worst. What sur
passed everything else in horror was its mar
rage with steam. believe there were more
people steamed to rags than harmed to death.
saw boiled bodies at the provisional dead
house. They were boiled to rags by the
steam, which made Its way into hooks and
crannies 20 which neither fame nor carbonic
acid penetrated. Another feature Of the hor-
arrar1f w fh, .r.,clI., ..nat nd inilad